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Dog & Cat Worming Advice

This helpsheet provides information on why you need to worm your dog or a cat.

It will make it easier to be a responsible pet owner and ensure that not only do your pets stay healthy but you stop disease spreading to children

We have followed the frequently asked questions format in this help sheet to make it easier to understand. Should you have any questions that are not answered then please email or call us direct on 01267 241136.

Most of our exisiting customers lead busy lives with either family or work commitments. Our healthy pet scheme is designed to make worming exceptionally easy for you by ensuring wormers and flea treatments are automatically delivered when they are due. You can even join our monthly payment plan. There is no charge for either of these services.

How does my dog or cat get worms?

All pets, even the most well cared for, can pick up worms. They do this when they sniff around in parks and pick up the eggs on their coat, feet, muzzle etc. When they groom themselves they then eat the worm eggs and the larvae start to develop inside the animal. In addition to this if they eat birds or mice then this could be another source of worm larvae.

How does my child get worms from the dog or cat?

Small children play and cuddle with their pets and they play in infected gardens and sandpits. If they get infected then they could have permanent eye damage and even blindness if left untreated. The roundworm concerned, Toxoxara canis, can also cause severe allergic reactions in children such as asthma and eczema.

What do worms do to my dog or cat?

Worms can cause a loss of condition which include a dull lifeless coat, a swollen stomach or signs of diarrhoea or vomiting. More serious consequences are weight loss, anaemia and pneumonia.

As a dog owner what should I do?

Your responsibility is to reduce the spread of worms and help maintain a clean and healthy public environment. You can do this by:

Clean up faeces with a poop scoop and dispose of them safely.

Don’t feed raw offel to your pet.

Worm your adult dog regularly every three months.

If you register with the Healthy Pet Scheme then you won’t have to remember when this needs doing. Wormers Direct will do that for you and send the wormers through the post when they are due.

As a cat owner what should I do?

Your cat can infect children just as easily as a dog can. Your responsibility is to ensure that your cat is wormed every 12 weeks to ensure that any worms that they pick up are eliminated before they infect any children. Cats are particularly susceptible as they may eat birds and mice on a frequent basis.

Which wormer should I use?

If you have a puppy or kitten then the Panacur liquid suspension, or Drontal puppy, is suitable because it doses at very low body weights, and is effective against protozoa Giardia.spp.

For pregnant bitches then either the Panacur granules or Favourites are suitable. For lactating and pregnant females do not use the Panacur paste. Drontal can be used in lactating bitches only.

For adult dogs and cats then we would recommend rotating the Drontal and Panacur products on an annual basis. The Strongid paste is also suitable for dogs.

For queens then the Panacur favourites, liquid, granules or paste are suitable. Do not use Drontal tablets.

Remember if you have registered your cat or dog with us then we will ensure that they get the most effective worming program for them. We will also automatically send the wormers to you the week before worming is due.

When should I start worming my puppy or kitten?

You should start worming at two weeks of age and then if you are using Drontal puppy every two weeks or if you are using Panacur at 5 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks of age.

You can register your kitten or puppy with us for our automated service and we will ensure that you are sent the correct wormer at the correct time to ensure that they stay safe from worms.

Are there any herbal wormers for cats and dogs?

No there are no herbal or natural products that have passed the licensing criteria than enables them to be called wormers. However there are natural parasite control formulations on the market. Petworm contains natural organic extracts. It acts in your cat or dog to create an environment that is hostile to the worm so that it cannot survive. It is a liquid that can be added to feed or put into their drinking water once a month. It is not possible to overdose. Verm-X also offer herbal treats for cats and dogs and a liquid herbal parasite control for dogs.

I do not know how much my dog or cat weighs?

It is important to know the weight of your animal. Either get your vet to weigh him on your next visit or if he is small, then stand on the scales without your pet and then holding your pet. The difference in weight is how much your pet weighs.

We have included a rough guideline below but knowing the actual weight of your animal is the best thing to do: